Just Like...

The elimination round boiled down to the final eight with Ai, Egun, and Xiwang in the mix. The black panther noticed something off about Egun's fighting. For a lot of the battles, it seemed like the snow leopard was stronger than he appeared like he wasn't using his own strength.

It didn't seem natural to him.

But that was the least of Xiwang's worries. As the sun went down, he quickly realized he had to either find a place to stay or sleep out on the outskirts of the village. As the contestants left, Xiwang stared down at the village below. "What are you doing?"

"WHAAAH! Oh, it's you," The black panther sighed. "What are you doing here?"

"I live here?"

"I mean, what are you doing here here?"

The white tiger looked away for a while and then huffed. "I... Grandmaster Tigress has asked if you have a place to stay."

"Umm... well... I-"

"She's offered you a place to stay. Just. For. The night," Ai growled lowly.

Xiwang gulped, "Ummm... well I-"

"Of course, he'll take it," said a familiar bird, flapping his wings to a safe landing. "He's got nowhere else to go."

"Master Yin I-"

"Okay. Follow me, then. Will you be coming with us, Master Yin?"

"Oh, no, no, no," Mr. Ping smiled. "I have some friends I can sleep with within the village. This is a great honor, Xiwang. You should take it."

"Ummm... could you excuse us for a moment? We just need to talk," Xiwang nervously grinned, pushing Mr. Ping away with him. Ai rose her eyebrow but waited just out of earshot. "What are you doing!"

"Giving you a place to stay."

"With the Furious Five, Grandmaster Shifu, and Grandmaster Tigress?! I thought P-... Master Yin wanted me to stay away from them."

"I know," Mr. Ping smiled. Xiwang's eyes lit up.

"You're trying to get me to tell them."

"Not... really. I've been asking around, and I think I know the reason why Master Yin left in the first place. Just be yourself when you go into the Jade Palace."

"What if they ask about Master Yin?"

"Tell them everything they want to know, except anything about a black and white bear. You'll be fine."

"Why don't I believe you?" Xiwang groaned as the goose flapped his wings and flew away. "Okay um... I would... like to stay."

"Good," Ai stated and showed him the way. They walked in silence for the most part. Xiwang wasn't really as talkative as Po, but the silence still got to him.

"What is it like... being the leader of the Furious Five?"

Ai rose her eyebrow. "Why do you want to know?"

"Just... curious. I've always heard stories about you guys. I mean, you guys are basically my idols, but... I don't know. My master has always been very... not telling me when it comes to the Jade Palace."

"Your master sounds like a hermit."

"He's not!" Xiwang fired back. "He's just... a little weird... is all."

"Hm."

"Umm... you fight very well."

"Thank you."

"Do you know what you're going to do when you fight against Egun?"

Ai rose her eyebrow again but rolled her eyes in the end. "A warrior doesn't plan their fight before it happens. It takes away from the moment of the fight."

"Huh, my master said something like, stay focused on the food."

"What?"

"He... likes food," Xiwang murmured. The moment of awkwardness moved on. "Geez, how many stairs are there just to get to the hall?"

"Many. The stairs keep us in shape," Ai said.

"Uh-huh. And is everything about training with you?"

Ai snapped her head around and glared. "And what if it is?"

"Nothing, nothing! I didn't mean to make you upset," Xiwang held up his hands. "I'm just wondering if... maybe you're overdoing it?"

"Training here is intense," Ai said firmly. "If you can't handle it, you won't become a Kung Fu master."

"Did Grandmaster Tigress tell you that?"

"No... but I'm responsible for leading the Furious Five. I have to be at the top of my game. Just like my father."

"Oh um... where is your-"

"He's not here. He... left... a long time ago."

"I'm sorry."

"My mother doesn't like talking about it. So don't mention it to her," Ai lightly commanded. Xiwang nodded and zipped his lips. The white tiger showed the smallest smile the black panther had ever seen.

"What was your father like?"

"From what my mother told me, the exact opposite of her. Carefree, loose, quirky."

"Huh, sounds familiar... Wait," Xiwang started to put two and two together. His eyes grew large while the air left his lungs in the next words. "Your... father wouldn't happen to have been the Dragon Warrior... right?"

Ai's eyes grew wide. "How did you know that?"

"HA! Hahnh! Heheh! I need to sit down." The black panther grabbed his head and stared into the stairs below. He breathed heavily. The world spun before his eyes. "Ooookay... ummm... that was a lot."

"Are you okay?"

"Nope no... not at all... just... feeling whoozy. I feel like I'm gonna hurl."

Ai gently helped him up to his feet and walked him along to the kitchen. "Mother! He's sick."

"Oh no," Tigress ran to Xiwang's side. The new and old Furious Five were gathered around the barracks' kitchen. "What happened?"

"Uhh..." Xiwang gulped hard. "Nothing, just... a little tired."

GROOOOOOOWWWWWWWWLLLLLL

"And... hungry," The black panther's dark cheeks blushed. Ai covered a small chuckle with her hand. Tigress smiled and helped the panther to a chair. "You didn't have to do this."

"It's the least we could do," Nu Wuya said. "When you told us where you came from, we figured you didn't have a place to stay."

"I'm okay with sleeping in the alleys. It's where I used to sleep after..." Xiwang's ears drooped.

"Is... everything alright?" Master Shifu asked.

"Yes, yes," Xiwang smiled. "Sorry, it's just... after my parents died, my village back home has kinda been my parents, especially Master Yin."

"The goose?" Ai asked. Xiwang nodded.

"Wait, your master is a goose?" Tigress asked.

"Y-Yes?"

"Oh," The tiger and the old Furious Five all bowed their heads. Even Master Shifu sighed. "I thought he was... someone else."

"That's um... something I've been meaning to ask. Um... why are you guys so worried about my master and... me?"

Crane, Viper, Mantis, Monkey, and Shifu all looked at each other before finally turning their eyes on Tigress. The tiger sighed and gave a small sad smile. "It's just... you remind us so much about a person that we all loved dearly. Someone who left because of... a misunderstanding."

Misunderstanding? Does that mean...

Xiwang couldn't finish his thoughts because Tigress laid her hand on his shoulder. "It's okay. You're not him. And we shouldn't compare you to him. You are your own person." She smiled making the black panther widely smile back.

As they ate their food the old and new Furious Five talked more about their adventures for Xiwang to sit in wonder. But as he ate the food, he stopped for a moment. "Huh."

"What's wrong? Is the food not good?" Master Shifu asked.

"No, no, it's great! It's just... who cooked the noodles?" Xiwang asked.

"I did," Tigress replied.

"Oh... It's just... it tastes almost exactly like my master's dad's soup."

Everyone turned their eyes on him. "Wh-What?"

"Your... master must be very young then," Tigress scrutinized.

"Well... he didn't look young," Ai mumbled. Tigress glanced at her but focused on the black panther.

"Where did you say your village was again?"

"Oh! In the Gansu region."

"Up in the hills near the Lao mountain range?"

"Y... yes! How do you know that?"

Tigress stayed quiet for a moment, simply staring at the black panther.

Then she smiled. "I've been around."

"By the way, Xiwang. Where have you-"

"I think we've asked him enough questions," Tigress stopped Master Monkey. "Xiwang, if you're full, I'll show you to your bed."

"Oh... uh... thank you." The two felines walked away down the barracks to his room. Ai pursed her lips as she glared at the doorway as they left.

"Ai?"

"Huh? Oh, Grandmaster Shifu."

"You're not... jealous of this black panther, are you?"

"Of course not, Grandmaster Shifu. Envy is the stepping stone down to defeat. That's what you said," Ai parroted.

"Right, but... please don't be envious of this black panther," Shifu said.

"I mean even though he seems to fight a little better than you," Li casually said. Everyone glared at the lizard. "What?"

"Mantis," hissed Viper, "What exactly have you been teaching your student?" The bug shrugged nervously. "We just hope that you don't see this panther as a rival to your mother's love."

"Why would I do that?"

"Because that's what happened between her and me," Shifu explained. Her eyes widened just a bit, but Ai stayed silent. "Ai, we all care about you, and I'm sorry if this black panther seems to be taking our attention. It's just... He reminds us so much about Po."

"My... father?" Ai rose an eyebrow, glanced between the entrway and her grandfather, and grimaced. "Really? Him?"

"HAHAHA! Yes, him," Master Monkey laughed. "Though he wasn't nearly as shy."

"In any case," Shifu continued. "I believe this panther will be a great ally to you after the tournament."

"How so?"

The old red panda smiled. "You'll see."

Meanwhile, Tigress finally showed Xiwang to his small bedroom. "Wow. I can't believe I get to stay here."

"It's an honor given to very few," Tigress smiled warmly.

"Um... Master Tigr... I mean Grandmaster-"

Tigress chuckled lightly, "Just Master will be fine."

"Um... are you okay?"

"Why do you ask?"

"It's just... um... my master wanted to know... I don't know why but-"

"Your master sounds like the very caring type," Tigress smiled knowingly. Xiwang panicked for a bit and shifted his gaze. "Why don't you go to sleep? You have a long day ahead of you tomorrow."

"Right... um... will I be able to fight Ai in the tournament?"

Tigress smiled wider. "I think so." With that, she closed the door behind her and left the panther to his sleep.

The next morning, the black panther fidgeted in his sleep, snarling and growling. He clenched his teeth and struggled to move his arms. "No... no... Don't... don't... don't."

Knock knock!

"AHHH!" Xiwang shot up from his bed and clasped his heart. It thumped hard against his ribcage, crawling to get out of its prison. "Co-co-Come in!"

The door slowly opened to a white tiger. "It's morning. The tournament is about to start in a few minutes."

"Right, right," Xiwang breathed and shot out of bed with his clothes already on. He looked at Ai's serious gaze. "What's wrong?"

"Do you... do you realize how lucky you are to be here?"

"Umm... yeah?"

"No, I mean in this room. This is the Dragon Warrior's room."

"WHAT?" Xiwang sniffed the air. "Wow. Huh. That explains the noodle smell."

"What was that?"

"Nothing! Nothing," Xiwang sighed. "I'll be down in a second." While he hastily grabbed his things, Ai eyed him like a hawk. He slung his pack over his shoulder and walked out the door. "Okay, I'm ready."

"By the way, what were you shouting about?"

"Huh?"

"You were muttering 'don't' a lot."

"Oh! Um..." Xiwang looked away. "It was... just a bad dream."

"Oh," Ai's walk slowed a bit. "I'm... sorry."

"It's okay... it happens around this time."

"What was the dream about?"

"Oh don't worry about it," Xiwang brushed it off. "It's just... a dream about when my parents died."

"Oh," Ai's ears drooped. They walked in silence. The white tiger's eyes scanned the ground as if the answers to the silence were there. She glanced at Xiwang who still frowned. The small drooping of his eyes was noticeable. Of course, he held it well. Maybe because the bad dreams were habit? Finally, they got to the stairs. "May I ask how they... died?"

"A bandit raid. It's... pretty bad where I live. Well, it was bad until Master Yin got there."

"I'm so sorry."

"It's okay... well, one day it will be," The panther sighed. He made a short sharp exhale of air. "Anyway, where is Master Tigress? I don't think I see her down there."

"She... left."

"What?"

"She had to go on an... unexpected journey," Ai sighed.

"Wait, so she's not gonna see you fight in the tournament?! Why? What's more important than your daughter's fight?"

"She's still a protector of China," Ai answered matter-of-factly.

Xiwang stopped on the stairs, furrowing his eyebrows. "That's not an excuse. It's obvious you want to make her proud."

"It's not that big of an issue."

"Yes it is?"

"Why do you say that?"

"Because it's obvious that you're at least a little upset about it."

I don't know what you're talking about."

"Why do you act like this?"

"What are you talking about?"

"You're acting as if your one goal in life is to make your mother happy?"

"Well it is!" Ai shouted. Xiwang stumbled back a bit. The tiger lowered her head and drooped her ears, sighing, "It is. Ever since my father left... she's been sad and lonely. No one, not even Master Shifu can lift her spirits. I just... thought that... maybe I could..." The more she spoke, the more of the realization of impossible dawned on her .

Suddenly, Xiwang hugged her, shocking the white tiger into a stutter. "Wh-Whw-What are you doing?"

"Doing what my master taught me when I had my first nightmare about my parents. Ai, it's not your fault. There's nothing you can do to replace what she lost. But that doesn't mean you have to live your life to make your mom proud and happy. Your mom is very proud of you, I know it."

Ai stared at Xiwang for a while. She suddenly turned away from his embrace and sighed. "Thank you... I... I needed that."

"So... are you ready to send Egun running?" Xiwang smirked. Ai shook her head with a smile.

"I wouldn't be so boastful. I lost last time, remember?"

"Yeah, but now you've gotten much stronger. And trust me, that jerk deserves what's coming to him."

Ai smiled wider. "And what about you and me? What happens if we're the finalists?"

"Then I'm gonna give it my all. I came to do my best. I promised my master that," Xiwang grinned from ear to ear.

Ai couldn't have known that that smile looked so much like her father's. She smiled back and said, "I don't doubt that."

Continued...